Travis Munnings w Keith Richard: 2019 CIT Lou Henson Classic Trophy Presentation
Jeanette Robinson, ULM Photo Services
77
KENT STATE KENTST 22-11
87
Winner ULM ULM 19-15
KENT STATE KENTST
22-11
77
Final
87
ULM ULM
19-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
KENT STATE KENTST 41 36 77
ULM ULM 42 45 87

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Munnings Scores 28, Leads ULM to CIT First-Round Win Over Kent State, 87-77

By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist
 
MONROE, La. – Travis Munnings has now played in more basketball games than anyone in ULM program history.

Of them all though, No. 133 will rank as one of his most memorable. The senior forward scored 28 points with nine rebounds and four assists to help lead the Warhawks to an 87-77 win over Kent State in the first round of the 2019 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.

"It's got to be up there, top three as one of my all-time favorite games," said Munnings, voted the Lou Henson Classic MVP for his performance. "It was amazing to give them all we've got and have fun and compete."

Said ULM coach Keith Richard: "He was the difference maker as far as the matchup. They had good guard play and we had good guard play. They had an advantage at the five. But the four spot was an interesting matchup."

A rowdy season-high crowd of 5,742 at Fant-Ewing Coliseum helped ULM (19-15) improve to 14-2 at home while advancing to the second round of the CIT. The tournament resets after the first round, so the next game's opponent, location and date weren't immediately known on Thursday night.  

"It had to be exciting to watch," ULM coach Keith Richard said. "It felt exciting just being on the sidelines. I'm so proud of the fans coming tonight, the students and supporters coming. It was an electric atmosphere." 

The Warhawks featured another balanced scoring effort with 17 from JD Williams, 16 from Daishon Smith, and 14 from Ertel. ULM shot 57 percent for the game with 18 assists and outscored Kent State, 40-26, in the paint. 

"I thought our offense was outstanding tonight," Richard said. "Look at the stat sheet. Four guys in double figures, 18 assists and 32 made buckets. … I'm really proud of the way we played."

Jalen Avery led Kent State (22-11) with 23 points while ULM's Williams held leading scorer Jaylin Walker to 15. Walker came in averaging 21.8 points per game and had to work for what he got against the Warhawks.  

"Coach has been on me and told me he was the leading scorer in their conference," Williams said. "Since then, I've been locked in and took pride in holding him to a certain amount of points." 

"The kid had 15 points tonight and he had to work for every one of them," Richard said. "He didn't get the freebies he usually gets in a game."

In a game that started off with a frenetic pace, ULM took a 42-41 lead into halftime, thanks in part to 22 points in the paint. With Kent State extending the defense to guard the 3-point shooters, ULM players attacked the basket with success with 10 layups and only seven 3-point attempts. 

"They changed and stayed out on us in the first half because of the 3-ball," Richard said. "They can read a stat sheet. They stayed out and our guys took it right at them."

Munnings (12) and Smith (13) combined for 25 points in the half while Ertel added eight as ULM shot 43 percent from the floor. 

Avery led Kent State with 11 points at the break, including three 3-pointers. The Warhawks trailed by as many as six and had their largest lead at seven in the fast-paced opening half. 

ULM jacked up the defensive intensity and built its lead up to 10 points by the 9:31 mark of the second half as Kent State endured a scoring drought of 4:34. 

A 3-pointer by Williams and another ULM steal followed by Williams' alley-oop slam extended the lead to 71-58 and had the crowd roaring. Brandon Newman's layup made it 73-58 during ULM's pivotal 16-2 run that helped put the game away.  

Richard credited the fans for giving his team the final juice it needed.

"We needed it late," Richard said. "It gave us some extra energy down the stretch, which we needed. Both teams played their hearts out. There was a lot of offense going out there now. We made enough plays in the last minutes offensively speaking to surge ahead and keep the lead."

"The fans have supported us all year," Munnings said. "To have this game on our floor was fun."

Tail feathers: The home crowd of 5,742 was the fourth of more than 5,000 this season at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. ULM drew 5,366 for Georgia Southern, 5,206 for South Alabama and 5,107 for Troy. …The game marked the third meeting between ULM and Kent State, which came in 2-0 vs. the Warhawks after wins in 2015 and 2010. … The Kent State outscored ULM, 12-0, in bench points in the first half. ... Richard wore his trademark "big game" maroon blazer and gold tie for the occasion. 
  
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